


Another Dreamless Night, You’re Right By My Side

by allmilhouse



Category: Barry (TV 2018)
Genre: Kissing, M/M, idek it’s two guys talking and kissing in the desert ok?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-24 05:11:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19166476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allmilhouse/pseuds/allmilhouse
Summary: Hank takes Barry out to the desert one night, and Barry finds they have more in common than he realized





	Another Dreamless Night, You’re Right By My Side

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. Title from Dead of Night by Orville Peck

It was dark out in the desert, and not for the first time that day, Barry wondered what the hell he was doing there. 

Hank had picked him up after acting class, saying he had found the perfect place for shooting practice, and without a another word, they were driving. Barry watched Hank from the passenger seat, drumming his thumbs against the steering wheel off-beat to the k-pop song blaring from the speakers. He looked happy, singing along to the music, occasionally glancing over and smiling at Barry, who struggled to smile back. 

This was supposed to be the beginning of the end of their _arrangement_. Teaching the Chechens to shoot was his ‘get out of the murder game free’ card. He had said he didn’t like Hank coming around to see him at class, didn’t like the idea of his two worlds colliding. But right now, something about driving around with Hank was tugging at his heartstrings. Maybe it was the way it felt fun and casual, two things he rarely experienced. He tried to push that feeling away and hoped that the ride would be short, as they left the orange glow of the city lights behind them. 

Thankfully traffic was light at this time of night, and it wasn’t long before Hank was slowing down on a bumpy gravel road. “Well? What do you think?” he said expectantly, pulling over in what felt like the middle of nowhere. 

Barry got out of the car and tried to look around. It was a mostly clear night, and the moon reflected enough light to show a vast, deserted valley. Some shrubs, a few cacti, but that was it for as far as the eye could see. “Looks nice,” he said. “How’d you find it?”

Hank shrugged, walking over to him. “On some maps in the stash house. I think the Bolivians used to use it for something. I wouldn’t know, Cristobal’s been giving me the real cold shoulder lately.”

Ignoring the pity and jealousy he felt rise up, Barry nodded his approval. “Yeah, this should work.”

”Great! Plus everything’s taken care of. The translator’s here and my guys are jazzed to start!”

Barry nodded again. “Good. We’ll start tomorrow, alright? And early. I want to get this over with.”

“Once the debt has been paid,” Hank agreed. He sounded so easygoing, and it stung Barry. Yes, he had set the terms of their arrangement but he didn’t like the way Hank said it, the way it sounded like he still had something on Barry. 

“That’s all I am to you?” he said. “Some guy that needs to pay up?”

Hank turned on him, looking just as angry. Barry held his ground as Hank leaned in, waiting for whatever menacing Chechen threat was coming. Instead Hank placed the gentlest of kisses on Barry’s forehead, lips barely brushing his skin. 

“Barry, you are so much to me,” he said, the anger gone, a rare sad look on his face instead. Like he was disappointed. 

The look got to Barry more than anything, finally coalescing the feelings he’d felt swirling all evening. Determined to make Hank smile again, he ignored every instinct and pulled Hank into a real kiss. Hank made a sound, but Barry just held him closer, hoping he hadn’t made a huge mistake. 

Hank responded immediately, gripping Barry’s collar and pushing him back against the car. He deepened the kiss, and Barry grabbed his waist, holding him tight. 

They pulled apart, breathing heavily, with Hank resting on Barry’s chest. Barry patted the back of his bald head, and kept him in a warm hug, waiting patiently. 

“Do you have to go?” Hank asked, a little ragged. “Can you stay with me?”

Barry found it hard to refuse. They climbed on the hood of his car, leaning back on the windshield, Barry wrapping one arm around Hank’s shoulders. They were quiet at first, just looking up at the stars, but gradually Hank loosened up, becoming the chatty, personable man Barry knew.

“Thanks,” Hank said, looking up at him. “I’m super grateful for this. Cristobal’s always with Esther now, and my guys are so fucking useless. I’m feeling little bit single pringle lately.”

Barry looked at Hank, eyeing him up. “Tell me about it,” he said, genuinely curious. There was something in how Hank spoke, tired and deflated, that sounded familiar. It was the same way he sounded talking about Fuches, all burned out and hollow. Overworked and unappreciated. 

Instead, Hank fixed him with an adoring look, until Barry squirmed again. “Thank you for understanding,” he repeated.

“It’s nothing,” Barry automatically deflected, but Hank cut him off with a soft kiss. 

“It’s not. I told you, it means a lot to me.”

They kissed again, Barry unsure of what else to say. 

Hank spoke again, still sounding sad around the edges. “I know you don’t want to do this. You have your acting class, instead of being super cool world class killer.” Barry flinched at the word but Hank didn’t notice. “I’m really gonna miss you, man.” 

Barry tilted Hank’s chin, making him look into his eyes. “I’m not gone yet,” he said, tugging Hank in for another kiss, one Hank broke a minute later gigging ridiculously. 

“That’s what I’m talking about! You’re like, straight out of a movie with your cool lines and shit! You’re such a badass!” He hit Barry’s shoulder playfully, but Barry just smiled as he tugged him in for another kiss.


End file.
